NHL star Wayne Gretzky and his wife Janet have put their sprawling, 6.5-acre Colonial Revival-style estate in Thousand Oaks on the market. Represented by The Agency’s Senior Estates Director and star of CNBC’s Listing Impossible Arvin Haddad, the picturesque property is situated above the Sherwood Country Club, capturing 360-degree views of the Santa Monica Mountains and Lake Sherwood.
The Wall Street Journal got the exclusive first glimpse of the home, noting the Gretzkys built the house in 2002 following Mr. Gretzky’s retirement. They commissioned architect Richard Landry to design the estate, which features a six-bedroom, approximately 13,000-square-foot main residence with a red brick exterior and classic white columns. A dramatic motor court and porte-cochere lead to the main residence, where a large entry foyer with a sweeping staircase showcases detailed moldings and arched doorways. The property boasts several outdoor verandas, a swimming pool, screening room, billiards room, gym and championship tennis court, which Mr. Gretzky noted to the WSJ was perfect for his tennis-loving daughter Emma.
“We first experienced and loved the Southern California lifestyle during Wayne’s tenure with the L.A. Kings,” Mrs. Gretzky told the WSJ. “So when Wayne retired in 1999, we decided that there was no better place to raise our children than here in Southern California.” Gretzky’s storied career included playing for the Kings, the Edmonton Oilers, the St. Louis Blues and the New York Rangers. The couple says they are now selling because their children have grown up, and they want to be closer to their grandchildren in West Palm Beach, Florida.
The Gretzkys shared some of their favorite memories at the home with the WSJ, from the moment they brought their newborn daughter Emma home after construction was complete to watching their son propose to his girlfriend in the front garden. Mrs. Gretzky says he was “smiling, laughing, and pointing up at the plane that flew across the sky with a banner that read ‘I love you Sara, will you marry me?’”
Arvin noted the appeal of the Thousand Oaks location, telling the WSJ, “It’s Southern California without the hustle and bustle of L.A. It’s not Hollywood. Janet and Wayne wanted to raise their kids in a normal fashion as much as they could.”
Read the full WSJ article here and view more photos of the home by Jeremy Blair and Carsten Schertzer/The Luxury Level below. For more information, contact Arvin Haddad at Arvin.Haddad@TheAgencyRE.com.